St. Landry democrat., 1887-10-08
AMONG SCIENTISTS.
eacts of Interest Which Have Recently
Been Brought to Light.

Been Brought to Light.
Two Swedish chemists, Kruss and Niso1
-men of high reputation-have published
an account of their researches on some of the
chemical elements of rarer occurrence. Tht
whole number of elements known up to the
present time has been seventy These men
by the most careful search, have added more
than twenty to the list by showing that
what have been regarded as elements are
really mixtures of several so closely allied as
to be practically Identical The delicate
methods of spectrum analysis were chiefly
used in detectslg the various elements and
many of them have been isolated The SUP.
posed element Holmium has been shown to
consist of seven distinct elements-Hm (a),
HIM. (b), HIM. (c), HIM. (d), HIM. (e), HIM.
f), HIM. (g). Erbium of two-Er. (a) Err.
(b). Thulium, first discovered in 1879, of
two-Tm. (a), I'm. (b). Samarium of two
SIN. (a) sm o. and Didymium, for some
D tlme thought to be really two, has been re-
Z solved into at least nine. Thus, in place of
= Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Samaritan and
Dldymium, we must reckon at least twenty
elements well defined. This immense addi-
p uon to the list will not pass unchallenged,
put TOR the present the authors seem to have
/ 1ortlted themselves quite strongly in their
position.
! History Society of Wisconsin, in paper on
Wasps'' records some interesting observa-
uOns on them. Among other things he dis
cusses whether they have sympathy for their
fellows. ITO be sure" he says, "when we
caught numbers of them and painted them
within the cage they at once went to work
to clean each other; and this seems to show
that they have some desire to aid and COM
fort their friends. But we have often seen
them continue to eat, with entire COM
= $l~rl . L
that had just been crushed to death and
they frequently fall on a dead relative, cut it
up, and carry it into the nest to feed their
young An overpOwering sense of utility is
probably the cause of this cannibal pro-
pensity-as was the case in Terra del Fuego
where the natives were frequently forced,
through stress of weather and scanty food
supply to eat their old women"
Attempts have been frequently made to
crystalline carbon so as to form the diamond:
but, though carbon can be crystallized, it
always appears in the finished state as
graphite (black lead) and not the diamond.
These two forms are the most common,
and, in fact, the only two where carbon is
known to be crystallized. A discussion by
Mr.. l.. Fletcher on nodule of carbon from
meteorite, which fell in Western Australia,
develops the discovery of carbon, black, and
possessing all the attributes of graphite, but
crystalliZed in small cubes. No such prec-
edent has been established and therefore
this may be regarded as third crystal-form
for carbon. The discovery has particular
@ainterest, as this form has never been OBJ
served on any terrestrial specimen of carbon,
4 but only in this nodule of extra terrestrial
p origin.
) A remarkable and entirely unique line of
experiment has recently been carried on by
DIR. William Spring and his associate, DR..
Want Hoff, in the study of the effect of pres
sure on some chemical compounds. These |
nhs IaI :g,,I
double acetate of calcium and copper was
very stable up to about 1862 F.; but, when
heated above that point, it was quite readily |
decomposed into the simple compounds. |
The query arose as to what the effect of |
pressure on the salt would be. On subject |
ing the solid double acetate to pressure of |
1000 atmospheres Q05, 900 pounds per square
inch) by means of powerful machinery, the |
whole mass was iquefed, and was found, ON
examination, to consist of the mixed salts
the simple acetates OF lime and copper.
DIR. T. Fl. Zegler announces new series of
coloring matter, which he has developed dur
ing some researches. Ordinary rosaniline is
treated with nitrous acid and then reduced
by tin and acid giving beautiful green crys-
tails of hydrazine salt. This is itself a color
ing agent of blue shade somewhat more
pronounced than che ordinary and we'll
known fuchsine. BY treatment with appro-
pirate reagents line of brilliant colors, vary
ing from red to violet is obtained; another
yields blue, and yet another green. 1t is
thought that the discovery will prove very
rich one What lends it special value is that
the color may be prepared in stu in the
fibre-it being necessary only to soak the
fibre in the hydraZine salt and then subject
to bath suitable for the development of the
required shade.
The protection of vines against frost was
effected in a most novel manner recently at
a vineyard in Pagny, near the Franco
temperature sank to 800 f. at A. M. At
that time quantities of tar, which had been
distributed to various points in tin boxes or
poured on the ground, were ignited. Dense
black clouds of smoke enveloped the vine
yard, which remained for more than two
hours while the tar was burning. In the
morning it was found that the experiment
was complete success, as not single shoot
was injured by the frost. while many vine
yards in the vicinity not thus protected suf-
sered considerable damage.
Rapid photography has made great prog
ress during the last ten years: Nowhere is it
more apparent than in the photographng of
proiectiles Photographs Of the projec5iIe
from the pneumatic gun at Fort Lafayette,
in New York harbor, showed an apparent
condensation ofthe air just ahead; and now,
in some photographs OF projectiles fired from
velocity of 800 feet per second the projectile
appears to be enveloped in layers of air quite
perfectly hyperbolic in form.
Mr.. Jammes, in a paper on the use of
opium, AYERS that, in countries where opium
smoking is prevalent, domestic animals-as
the cat. dog, or monkey-will remain in the
immediate vicinity of the smoker and inhale
the smoke, becoming intoxicated, and ap- {
parently enjoying, the sensation. Monkeys &c
relish the opium, and will often
take to eating the drug.
She Settled 1t.
A Western Michigan wool buyer, who was }
circulating among farmers to engage their
Sins. met with one who was inclined to look ?
mon the matter as a sort Of gambling af-
fair. ssYou agree to buy my wool for SO
mich a month in advance of shearing," said q
he. s.How do you know that wool won't go {
y. - - down 2 The price may be too much or